What We’re Loving

In the beginning of this academic year, our world was thrown into disarray and so Elly and I decided to create this ‘What We’re Loving’ series in the hopes that it would bring people a bit of much needed positivity. Over the past year, we’ve both loved writing about the little things that have made a huge difference in our lives from Elly’s favourite log in the park to my newfound love of plants. For our final issue, we bring you one more installment and wish you all the very best in the future.

I’ll throw my hands up and admit that when TikTok first rose to fame I was a little skeptical. It seemed to be predominantly enjoyed by Gen Z and as a mere millennial I felt a little out of place. However, I soon got over myself and I now feel no shame in saying that I love it. In my opinion, it’s one of the few social media platforms out there that still put their audience and creators first. If I open up TikTok, I can guarantee that I will laugh out loud and most probably even learn something whether it’s a new recipe or how to pay my taxes. There is no other platform in which you can scroll to see Gordan Ramsey judging drive thru food, a bulldog name Chowder skateboarding and top quality memes about M&S’s lawsuit again Aldi’s ‘Cuthbert the Caterpillar’; It’s a truly unique platform that is for absolutely everyone.

I discovered this art challenge on TikTok and I’ve spent hours in lockdown working on it. Essentially, all you need is a box of Pantone postcards (Amazon sells a set of 50 and 100), a paintbrush and paint. Once you’ve got your materials, lay out your cards face down and pick one at random. After you’ve picked a colour, think of something that reminds you of that colour and paint it on top. For the best effect, mask the Pantone colour code off with painter’s tape and peel off at the end to get a beautiful straight line. For example, for the Pantone 7548 postcard - which is a

medium yellow colour - you might paint a daffodil. This challenge is perfect for beginners, or those who are just looking for a bit of fun because the postcards are relatively small and they give you a prompt so it’s not as daunting as staring at a blank canvas.

I don’t know why, but I had always assumed that candlemaking would be hard until (yes you guessed it) I saw someone on TikTok making them. As I’m sure everyone has, I’ve been mind numbingly bored at times during lockdown and so I’ve been on the lookout for anything fun to do. All you need is wax, fragrance oil, jars (or a mould), wicks and preferably a wick centerer. Whilst the initial costs aren’t dirt cheap, they’re not bad for what you get and I got a lot of joy out of giving them to my friends and family. You can also jazz them up by adding dried petals or colouring to create a multitude of different versions.

What I love about spirituality is that there are no set rules. You don’t have to believe everything - you can take whatever speaks to you from it. It’s always helpful to give people the chance to step back and understand how they feel about what’s happening in their lives, whether they believe in spirituality or not. Sometimes, going through tarot gives you the same clarity you get when you flip a coin and realise which outcome you really want. My journey with tarot began with angel cards, a lighter form of guidance that gives you affirmative messages from the spiritual realm. Although helpful, sometimes it seemed to be only scratching the surface and I wanted to take my exploration a bit further. I thought it was bad luck to buy your own deck, so I spent months dropping hints to friends until a real-life angel (also my housemate Hannah) gifted me some for my birthday. We’ve now incorporated it into our daily routine, taking a second to sit down and talk through the things that are going on in our lives -whether they’re bringing us joy or holding us down. Are you interested in tarot, astrology, and all things spirituality? Check out the Your Magic podcast with Michelle Tea on Spotify!

As somebody who menstruates, switching to a mooncup was one of the most liberating choices I’ve made. After being stuck in a cycle of buying disposable products that filled up landfills and drained my bank account, I finally broke free by buying one of these silicone cups. In all honesty, it’s hard to see any downsides. They’re more comfortable, they feel cleaner, and they’re safe to keep in for up to 12 hours with the capacity to hold 3 times more blood than a regular tampon. You’ve probably heard the horror stories but really it’s so simple to use - the material is flexible and folds up easily for inserting. The average person who bleeds will use 11,000 disposable sanitary products, spending an average of £1200. Mooncups cost between £7-£20, so why not invest and save yourself the hassle? Buy a Mooncup, save the planet, save your money, and stop giving money to the companies who profit from your shame.

To the dismay of some friends who are already overwhelmed by the number of plants I’ve collected, I’ve recently discovered just how easy it is to propagate some of them in water. Species such as philodendrons, pothos monsteras, and ZZ plants can all easily be propagated in this way. All you need to do is look for brown leaf nodes (the little brown lumps) on the stalks of your plants and cut just below this point. Pop your cuttings in a jar of water, removing any leaves that fall below the waterline. Put it in a spot that gets indirect light, then wait and see what happens. It won’t always work, sometimes you’ll find yourself eagerly checking back on a cutting just to watch it yellow and wilt away. However, it’s worth it when you see the spindly roots creep out into the water. It can take a while, so make sure to replace the water every week or so. After 4-6 weeks when the roots are substantial (at least an inch long) you can plant your cutting into potting soil and watch them grow.

words by: Jasmine Snow and Elly Savva design by: Jasmine Snow illustrations by: Elly Savva and Canva